The big bad Busa
Written: Jun 25 '05 (Updated Jun 26 '05)
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Pros: Unlimited power, amazing brakes, the ride of a lifetime
Cons: I don't have one yet
The Bottom Line: -
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| carnut2k4's Full Review: Suzuki GSX 1300R Hayabusa |
Old friends and new lust
My several months piloting a ZX-11 taught me to have respect for motorcycles again. I had finally come across a bike that could get away from me if I let my attention slip for even a moment. I liked it. It made my heart race they way it used to when I first started riding. 140 horsepower in a bike that weighed a little over 500 pounds just made sense. At first the unexpected (and unnerving) wheelies at launch were instant adrenalin rushes. Soon enough I learned to expect them and then how to control them. After a couple of weeks the turn of every green light had me popping the clutch at 8000 RPM and screaming down the street with the front tire hanging at a very controlled 6 inches above the pavement. It was still a rush – but not in the same way that it had been. The beast was tamed. I was ecstatic and saddened at once. I had conquered the most insane bike on the planet, and now there was nothing left to covet.
Well fast forward ten years and let the coveting begin again. On a recent trip to New York I visited some old friends at their new home way out in Suffolk County. When I pulled up the long driveway I saw the unmistakable ass end of a 2001 Suzuki GSX 1300R Hayabusa. She was strategically parked at the top of the driveway outside the garage. As my friend walked over to greet me I noticed the grin on his face as I drooled over the Busa. Without saying a word he tossed me the key to the bike and pointed to the helmet sitting on a shelf inside the garage. Saying hi to his wife and kids would have to wait, there was a more pressing matter to be addressed first.
The Busa is actually the last shot fired in the speed war of the 1990s. That old ZX-11 was Kawasaki’s entry. Then Honda upped the ante with the Blackbird. Yamaha jumped into the fray with the R1 and then Suzuki put the smack down on everyone with the Busa. Nobody has tried to top Suzuki’s Hayabusa….yet. Effectively, it was the end all entry and I, for one, am still wondering if it can be topped.
Let’s talk numbers
The Busa is a spry 475 pounds and horsepower is a whopping 175 at around 9800 RPM. That’s something like 50 pounds less than the ZX-11 with an additional 35 horsepower. Talk about burning the candle at both ends! All the expected specs fall into place as they should. Inverted fork front end, 190 rear and 120 front 17 inch tires. A silky smooth six speed gear box. Freakin humungous brakes. Chain final drive, etc. What’s really amazing is the weight of this thing. 15 years ago it would be a lightweight in the 600 class at 475 pounds. By today’s standards it’s not a true threat to modern 600s in the turns but it woulda wreaked havoc on the first generation CBR 600.
The ride
I felt anxious as I got on. The 32 inch seat seems even higher with the wider than expected saddle. I couldn’t get both feet flat on the ground – I hate that. The gas tank is massive (5.8 gallons) and the only way to ride is hunched over it. The dash is clean and simple. The ignition switch is in the center with the speedo, tach , fuel gauge and temp gauge surrounding it. She started right up and off I went. At a crawl she’s top heavy. Once I was out of sight I opened it up a little and the center lowered beautifully. No one will ever accuse it of being nimble (by today’s standards) but she’s a lot more sure footed than that old ZX-11. After buzzing around for fifteen minutes or so I decided to play a little. I knew the torque was a lot greater than the ZX-11 so I knew not to launch her at 8000 RPM. I woulda landed on my head if I did. From a stand still I dumped the clutch at 500RPM, felt that front end come up in a familiar way so I nailed the gas to ride it out. I was staring at the sky within a split second. She came down kinda hard and my heart was in my throat. My hands were shaking a little bit too. It was that adrenalin rush I had been hoping for. Learning a new bike is always accomplished on a curve. After a few (ok a lot) more attempts I figured out how to launch the Busa. Rev at a steady 3000 RPM and then dump the clutch. The front will pop up a little but you can control it. Wind it out quickly and steadily and you’ll be able to keep her straight, and horizontal. The most noticeable difference between the ZX-11 and the Busa is that the Busa is best described as ‘twitchy’. Goose it in first and you're looking and the sky. I even pulled a wheelie in third – intentionally, not by accident. This ‘twitchy’ nature is unlike anything I’ve ever felt in a four stroke. The riding I did was all confined to Veteran’s Highway so I couldn’t go too crazy but I did spike it up to 135 in fourth gear (out of six). Riding tucked in and hugging the tank to get under the small windshield’s protection somehow manages to make triple digits rather uneventful. I did take some spirited turns but nothing near the bikes limitations. I just wasn’t that comfortable on it after such a short encounter. The brakes are phenomenal. Twin 320 mm rotors with six piston calipers up front and a 240 rear with a 2 piston caliper. The passenger seat area is covered by a plastic, bullet shaped piece of faring that seems to complete the line of the bike. I though it was ugly and a waste of space. It can be removed and a passenger pillion added if desired. The front of it (facing the driver) is a vertical wall. It didn’t look like it would be a comfortable backrest, and it wasn’t. But when you’re accelerating from zero to 100 in just a couple of seconds that ugly plastic thing actually helps keep you from flying right off the back of the bike.
This is definitely the ultimate road warrior. My tester was chipped and piped but that was it. There really isn’t much I would do to one of these. The factory really is selling the complete package with this one. I really don’t see this as a sport touring bike or even as a commuter. After about an hour of playing my wrists were already getting sore (a common problem with sport bikes that have you hunched over the tank and supporting all of your upper body weight with your wrists). My knees weren’t too happy about the ride either. My buddy tells me that in the summer he rides up to Danbury (Connecticut where every Sunday is an organized bike rally at Marcus Dairy) which is a good two hours in each direction. At 60 mph he lets his feet drag on the concrete from time to time just to give his knees a break. This would make a fine addition to any garage with the caveat being that if you plan to ride more than an hour at a time make sure you have two bikes in the garage. I already have two bikes in my garage but now I’m thinking about making room for a third…
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 8000
Condition: Used
Model Year: 2001
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Epinions.com ID:
carnut2k4
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Member: Jason
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Muscle Shoals has got The Swampers
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